Improvement in cartridges



A. B. SMITUH. CARTRIDGE.

Patented Apm 3, 18 77.

Witnesses 172M972? UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIoE.

ALBERT B. sm'rn, 0F GENEVA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT m CARTRIDGE'S.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I 89,069. dated April3, 1877; application filed February 6, 1877.

by which means the body of the shell only is thrown away, and the baseor cap is retained for further use, the greatest safety, simplicity,

and cheapness in making, loading, and handling the ammunition beingthereby attained.

The special object of my invention is to so securely and accuratelyunite the paper shell and the metal base or head Bl in the axis of whichthe percussion-cap is located, as to insure their being readily andproperly inserted in the fire-arm when united, with a certainty of beingdischarged.

The construction is as follows, referring to the accompanying drawing,in which Figure 1 is a side view of a shell. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection in the plane of the axis of the cy-' lindrical shell. Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the base or cap. Fig. 4 is a shell re -enforcedwith metal at the base; Fig. 5, a modi fication.

The same letters of reference are used in all the figures.

A represents a hollow cylinder or shell of paper or any suitable cheapmaterial suited to the purpose, in the baseofgwhich a disk of wood orother sufiicient material, a, forms a head, in the center of which thereis a conical hole, a. A piece of wire, b, runs radially through theshell, projecting slightly on both sides beyond the surface. The base ofthe conical hole in the disk a is closed by a thin paper impervious todampness.

I The base or cap B, of brass or other metal, is a short cylinder,closed at the rear end by the head 0, that projects beyond the sides, as

seen in the figures. The sides are thin, forming a cup, into which theshell A accurately fits, the edges'of the-cap being cut to form abayonet-fastening on each side to receive the projecting ends of wire b,by which the two parts are securely united and easily separated at will.A small projection, (1, stands up from the inner face of head 0 at thecenter, which,

when the parts A B are united, breaks through the paper and opensdirectly into the charge in the shell A. A hole is made down through thecenter of this projection d, and an annu:

lar recess is made around it on theoutside at e, to form a nipple for apercussion-cap of usual form. I 7

When it is deemed necessary, the base of the paper shell that enters capB may be reenforced with a metal ring, (shown at Fig. 4,) and Fig. 5shows the bayonet-fastening pins b projecting inward from the base B,and the slot cut in the paper shell A.

I am aware that paper diaphragms have heretofore been applied to theinside of they shell to prevent the escape of powder; but I find suchapplication objectionable, for the reason that when a weak cap is usedthe lire sometimes fails to penetrate said diaphragm. In my constructionthis objection is obviated by rupturing the diaphragm in the act ofconnecting the head and shell, thus leaving an open passage for the firefrom the fulminate.

Having thus described my improvements, I claim 1. A metallic cup-shapedhead, B, for cartridges formed with a conical projection, 01, on

its interior face, in combination with shell A, formed with a conicalopening in its base, the head and shell constructed to be securedtogether by bayonet-fastening, as'shown and described.

2. The paper diaphragm covering the base of the cartridge when appliedon the-outside of the shell, so as to be ruptured. in the act ofconnecting the base ,to the shell, as set forth.

" ALBERT B. SMITH.

Witnesses: r

ARTHUR B. BUR-T18, E. SEYMOUR YOUNG.

